Arch support



Sept. 9., 1958 A. F. WILLIAMEE ARCH SUPPORT Fild oct. 18, 195e www maUnited States Patent O ARCH SUPPORT Adrian F. Williamee, St. Marys, Pa.

Application October 18, 1956, Serial No. 616,725

1 Claim. (Cl. 36--8.5)

This invention relates to arch supports. An object of this invention isto provide an improved arch support in the form of an insert for a shoe,such as an oxford, with the insert including means for holding the sameagainst movement in the shoe.

Another object of this invention is to provide an arch support embodyinga yieldable cushion carried by a flexible sheet with the sheet so shapedas to extend upwardly along the side of the foot whereby the shoe lacingmay be threaded through the extensions so as to thereby hold the supportin proper position.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claim, it Ibeing understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of the shoe partly broken away andin section having an arch support constructed according to an embodimentof this invention mounted therein.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the support.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing the numeral designates generally a shoe whichincludes an upper 11 having a sole 12 and a heel 13. The upper 11 isprovided with eyelets 14 through which a lacing 15 is threaded.

An arch support generally indicated at 16, is mounted within the shoe 10and comprises a exible body 17 having a body 18 with a forwardlyprojecting extension 19. The body 17 is formed with a pair of laterallyprojecting tongues 20 and 21 and the tongues 20 and 21 have pairs ofopenings or eyelets 22 and 23, respectively, the purpose for which willbe hereinafter described. A cushion member 24 which is formed of spongerubber or the like is secured to the lower side of the sheet 17 and isprovided with an upwardly bulged or thickened intermediate portion 25.The cushion member 24 is of substantial egg shape and is provided with arearwardly projecting portion 26 secured to the rear portion 19 of thesheet 17. The cushion member 24 is of less width 2,850,813 PatentedSept. 9, 1958 ICC than length of the shoe 17 so that when the device isdisposed within the shoe the projecting portions 27 which extendlaterally from the extension 26 will bend downwardly so as to engageover the outer edges of the cushion extension 26. At the rearward end ofthe cushion member 24 the body 18 also projects beyond the rearwardportion of the cushion 24 as indicated at 28, and the projectingmarginal portion 28 is adapted upon being subjected to pressure byweight of a foot to press downwardly onto the insole 29 within the shoe10.

The tongue 21 is adapted to be disposed on the inner side of the foot,whereas the tongue 20 is adapted to Ibe disposed on the outer side ofthe foot. When the support is in applied position the lacing 15 isthreaded through selected ones of the openings or eyelets 22 and 23 andthen extended through the rear eyelets 14 of the shoe upper 11. In thismanner the shoe lacing 15 will firmly hold the support 16 within theshoe and on the lower side of the foot. The rear extension 26 provides acushion or support for the metatarsal arch and the enlarged intermediateportion 25 provides a support for the transverse arch. The side portionsof the cushion member 24 provide a support for the inner and Outerlongitudinal arches of the foot.

With a support as hereinbefore described, the arch support will befirmly held against movement beneath the foot so that the support cannotshift while the user is walking.

What is claimed is:

A removable adjustable arch support for insertion in a shoe having shoelaces, comprising a flexible body, laterally projecting tonguesofreduced widths extending from opposite sides of said body, each tonguehaving a plurality of vertically aligned apertures through which thelacing of the shoes is adapted selectively to be threaded, drawing thearch support into contact with the arch of the foot on which the supportis positioned, said tongues in the applied position of said bodyextending upwardly on the inner and outer sides of the foot andterminating a substantial distance below the uppermost lace opening ofthe shoe, a forward extension carried by said body engageable beneaththe metatarsal arch portion of the foot, and a resilient cushion membersecured to the lower side of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,058,561 Davis Apr. 8, 1913 1,572,213 Lucas Feb. 9, 1926 1,952,538Devine Mar. 27, 1934 1,976,819 Weiler Oct. 16, 1934 2,089,384 LevittAug. 10, 1937 2,129,321 Guerin Sept. 6, 1938 2,310,824 Wyant Feb. 9,1943 2,749,628 La Morder .Tune 12, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 440,111 GermanyJan. 28, 1927 741,655 France Feb. 17, 1933 307,129 Switzerland May 15,1955

